Bone fragments confirmed to be Saint Paul - Telegraph

Bone fragments confirmed to be Saint Paul - Telegraph: "Fragments of bone which have been kept in an underground sarcophagus for nearly 2,000 years have been identified as the remains of St Paul."

Riverside Church Pastor Resigns After 2 Months - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com

Riverside Church Pastor Resigns After 2 Months - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com: "The pastor of Riverside Church, the renowned bastion of liberal theology and social activism on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, is resigning after just two months on the job.

The pastor, the Rev. Dr. Brad R. Braxton, has been the focus of a fierce battle within the congregation over his compensation package and the mission of the church. He said he notified the church’s board Monday night that he was stepping down."

Ten Commandments of the Anti-Christ: The Georgia Guidestones | Religion & Theology | ReligionDispatches

Ten Commandments of the Anti-Christ: The Georgia Guidestones | Religion & Theology | ReligionDispatches: "Back in 1980 a mysterious set of stones bearing a message for civilization in various languages appeared in Georgia. From Christian dispensationalist symbol of the New World Order to Native American “power-nexus” to the interpretations of Contemporary Pagans, UFO buffs, and New Agers, the Guidestones are a spiritual and political Rorschach test."

Obama Picks Camp David Church -- Not a D.C. Congregation - TIME

Obama Picks Camp David Church -- Not a D.C. Congregation - TIME: "For the past five months, White House aides and friends of the Obamas have been quietly visiting local churches and vetting the sermons of prospective first ministers in a search for a new — and uncontroversial — church home. Obama has even sampled a few himself, attending services at 19th Street Baptist on the weekend before his inauguration and celebrating Easter at St. John's Episcopal Church.

Now, in an unexpected move, Obama has told White House aides that instead of joining a congregation in Washington, D.C., he will follow in George W. Bush's footsteps and make his primary place of worship Evergreen Chapel, the nondenominational church at Camp David."

Fifty Books for Our Times | Newsweek Books | Newsweek.com

Fifty Books for Our Times | Newsweek Books | Newsweek.com: "What to Read Now. And Why

We know it's insane. We know people will ask why on earth we think that an 1875 British satirical novel is the book you need to read right now—or, for that matter, why it even made the cut. The fact is, no one needs another best-of list telling you how great The Great Gatsby is. What we do need, in a world with precious little time to read (and think), is to know which books—new or old, fiction or nonfiction—open a window on the times we live in, whether they deal directly with the issues of today or simply help us see ourselves in new and surprising ways. Which is why we'd like you to sit down with Anthony Trollope, and these 49 other remarkably trenchant voices."

Michael Chabon: The Wilderness of Childhood - The New York Review of Books

Manhood for Amateurs: The Wilderness of Childhood - The New York Review of Books: "Art is a form of exploration, of sailing off into the unknown alone, heading for those unmarked places on the map. If children are not permitted—not taught—to be adventurers and explorers as children, what will become of the world of adventure, of stories, of literature itself?" -- Michael Chabon

NPR's Krista Tippett makes radio show a place of testimony

NPR's Krista Tippett makes radio show a place of testimony: "National Public Radio's Krista Tippett was no stranger to the grateful fans who filled a ballroom during the 27th General Synod in Grand Rapids, Mich. If she had her audience in the palm of her hand, they had the originator of the popular weekly radio program, 'Speaking of Faith,' in the arms of a giant embrace.

She described how surprised the NPR's skeptical staff was with the overwhelming reception of the program in which men and women — many unknown, some prominent in their fields — share their journeys to the center of life's meaning. At a time when several golden-voiced radio preachers have fallen from their pedestals in scandal, 'Speaking of Faith' meets the needs of listeners from many religious persuasions and others who reject institutional religion."

Taped Jackson's Last Night Alive, Could Be CD, DVD | The Wrap

Taped Jackson's Last Night Alive, Could Be CD, DVD | The Wrap: "Michael Jackson’s last rehearsal at the Staples Center on Wednesday, the eve of his death, was recorded in multi-camera, high-definition video and multi-track audio, and could be released as the performer’s last album, according to several people close to the now-defunct concert tour.



The recordings were made as part of concert promotion company AEG Live’s deal with Jackson, which included a plan to produce both an album and DVD of what Jackson had billed his “final performance” tour, titled “This Is It.”"

Police: TV pitchman Billy Mays found dead at home | ajc.com

Police: TV pitchman Billy Mays found dead at home | ajc.com: "Tampa police say Billy Mays, the television pitchman known for his boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean, has died. He was 50."

Frank Rich - 40 Years Later, Still Second-Class Americans - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - 40 Years Later, Still Second-Class Americans - NYTimes.com: "It’s a press cliche that “gay supporters” are disappointed with Obama, but we should all be. Gay Americans aren’t just another political special interest group. They are Americans who are actively discriminated against by federal laws. If the president is to properly honor the memory of Stonewall, he should get up to speed on what happened there 40 years ago, when courageous kids who had nothing, not even a public acknowledgment of their existence, stood up to make history happen in the least likely of places."

Maureen Dowd - Genius in the Bottle - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - Genius in the Bottle - NYTimes.com: "Sanford can be truly humble only if he stops dictating to others, who also have desires and weaknesses, how to behave in their private lives.

The Republican Party will never revive itself until its sanctimonious pantheon — Sanford, Gingrich, Limbaugh, Palin, Ensign, Vitter and hypocrites yet to be exposed — stop being two-faced."

The Message of Michael Jackson - Peter Wallace

The Message of Michael Jackson - Peter Wallace: "So many, many people around the world are sharing their thoughts about what Michael Jackson's death means to them. This is one of those events people will be asking about for years to come: 'Where were you when Michael died?'

I grew up with Michael Jackson. I'm only four years older than he was when he died, so I have followed his career virtually my whole life. After all, if you owned a radio or TV during those years, there's no way you could have avoided him."

Unheard George Harrison Tracks Prepared For Release | undercover.com.au, Music, News, Entertainment

Unheard George Harrison Tracks Prepared For Release | undercover.com.au, Music, News, Entertainment: "There will be a number of previously unheard George Harrison songs released over the next year.

The late former Beatle had a large batch of unfinished tracks at the time of his death in 2001 and they will now be worked on by musician Jeff Lynne – who was a member of 80s super-group The Traveling Wilburys along with George.

A source said: 'George half-finished loads of songs and often just forgot about them. There is probably an album’s worth of material."

Conservative Christianity and Adultery -- Trying to Explain Sanford and Ensign -- Politics Daily

Conservative Christianity and Adultery -- Trying to Explain Sanford and Ensign -- Politics Daily: "There is one odd coincidence being noted about South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and Nevada Sen. John Ensign (aside from the adultery, that is) -- they are both linked to the mostly secretive D.C.-based Christian The Fellowship, also called The Family."

Discovery News: Michael Jackson Had a Patent

Discovery News: Material World: Michael Jackson Had a Patent: "His death was a big surprise, but then this morning, another surprise: Jackson had a patent.

The title: Method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion.

It's a system that consists of a special shoe that has a hitch designed to attach to a projection in a stage. When the shoe engages with the component in the stage, the performer can lean forward beyond his or her center of gravity."

Deepak Chopra: A Tribute to My Friend, Michael Jackson

Deepak Chopra: A Tribute to My Friend, Michael Jackson: "Michael Jackson will be remembered, most likely, as a shattered icon, a pop genius who wound up a mutant of fame. That's not who I will remember, however. His mixture of mystery, isolation, indulgence, overwhelming global fame, and personal loneliness was intimately known to me. For twenty years I observed every aspect, and as easy as it was to love Michael -- and to want to protect him -- his sudden death yesterday seemed almost fated."

Noah Wyle in alien-fighting role

Noah Wyle in alien-fighting role: "Former 'ER' star Noah Wyle has signed as the lead in TNT's untitled alien-invasion pilot, marking a reunion with producer Steven Spielberg.

The project, written by Robert Rodat from an idea he conceived with Spielberg, is set shortly after aliens have wiped out most of the human population. Wyle will play the leader of a ragtag group of soldiers and civilians who struggle against the occupying alien force."

When The Gods Die: Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett Take the 70s With Them | Media/Culture | ReligionDispatches

When The Gods Die: Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett Take the 70s With Them | Media/Culture | ReligionDispatches: "Michael Jackson, pop theologian and transcendent performer, went from Jehovah's Witness to Nation of Islam to Islam searching for the well-being embedded in so many of his songs. Farah Fawcett, who was so much more than a pretty face and healthy head of hair, courageously faced death on camera in a youth-obsessed culture."

The Prizewinners 2008/2009 - The Millions

The Prizewinners 2008/2009 - The Millions: "With the awarding of the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award last week, the 2008/2009 literary award season is now over, which gives us the opportunity to update our list of prizewinners.

Though literary prizes are arbitrary in many ways, our prizewinners post is compiled in the same spirit that one might tally up batting titles and MVPs to determine if a baseball player should be considered for the Hall of Fame. These awards nudge an author towards the 'canon' and secure them places on literature class reading lists for decades to come.

Most notably, after being named to the IMPAC shortlist, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot D�az has joined the ranks of the most celebrated novels of the last 15 years, making it, along with the other books near the top of the list, something of a modern classic."

Pop-Eye: Blind Faith and the Invisible Font | Religion & Theology | ReligionDispatches

Pop-Eye: Blind Faith and the Invisible Font | Religion & Theology | ReligionDispatches: "Simply put: Font matters. Is it possible that the most pervasive typeface of late capitalism—Helvetica—is telling us what the gods wish: Do not worry. Trust in me. Put your value here, and you will be rewarded?"

Gail Collins - The Love Party - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - The Love Party - NYTimes.com

There are some larger lessons here...

First of all, we may want to consider the possibility that the governor’s decision to reject the federal stimulus money was not a mighty stand against government spending but instead an early sign of total nuttiness.

Second, perhaps it is time to rethink the idea of constantly electing middle-aged heterosexual men to positions of high importance.

...

Fourth, before this search for a presidential nominee goes any further, I’m thinking it’s time for the Republicans to apologize for putting us through the Clinton impeachment. We seem to have pretty well established that sexual stone-throwing is a dangerous sport.

synchro-blogging on sexuality - Brian McLaren

synchro-blogging on sexuality - Brian McLaren: "Neither race nor sexual identity was an obstacle for the apostles in welcoming a new brother into the community of faith. As early as Acts 8 in the story of Jesus and his apostles, the tough issues of race and sexual identity are being addressed head-on. But as we all know, as the years went on, both issues once again became obstacles. It's only in my lifetime that we have truly begun to put racism behind us - although even there, we still have a long way to go. Now, it's time for us to remove the second obstacle. Not in spite of the Bible, but because of it. We've lost a lot of ground since Acts 8. That's why I am among those who dissent from the conventional approach and attitude, appealing back to Philip's even more ancient church tradition."

The truth about writers - Los Angeles Times

The truth about writers - Los Angeles Times: "we writers tell our friends and children, there is nothing more sacrosanct, more vital to our intellectual and emotional well-being, than writing time. But we writers have a secret.

We don't spend much time writing."

Wish it could be more though...

Oscars DOUBLING Number Of Best-Picture Nominees To 10

Oscars DOUBLING Number Of Best-Picture Nominees To 10: "The best-picture lineup at the Academy Awards is doubling from five films to 10, a move organizers said Wednesday will open the field to more worthy movies and possibly boost the ceremony's TV ratings.

The change, which was approved Tuesday night by the board of governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, takes effect at next year's Oscars on March 7.

The plan is a return to Oscar traditions of the 1930s and '40s, when a best-picture field of 10 or more films was common."

Hogan's Alley: National Cartoonists Society pix

Welcome to Hogan's Alley!: "We want to share our photo album of the annual bacchanalia held by the National Cartoonists Society with you. We especially want to thank the indefatigable David Folkman, who, besides being Hogan's Alley's peerless art director, also took all of the following pictures."

Explore the Spirit: Spiritual Side of Television from Battlestar to Saving Grace and Sopranos

Explore the Spirit: 459: Spiritual Side of Television from Battlestar to Saving Grace and Sopranos: "IN THIS NEW MILLENNIUM, which is barely a decade old, Dr. Diane Winston finds that television is not the wasteland that critics once claimed. In fact, in a new book for Baylor University Press, Diane finds that television dramas since 2000 have been wrestling with some tough and timely spiritual questions—in remarkably creative ways!"

Japanese "Kaguya" Satellite Crashes Into The Moon, Send Back Final Footage (VIDEO)

Japanese "Kaguya" Satellite Crashes Into The Moon, Send Back Final Footage (VIDEO): "The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has released the final footage shot by its Kaguya satellite right before it crashed into the dark side of the moon. The gorgeously rendered video reconstructs the flight's final moments before it crashed"

Religious study: Gays not "godless" "Christian bashers"

SFGate: Politics Blog : Religious study: Gays not "godless" "Christian bashers"

This breaking news in from The Barna Group -- a chronicler of religious life and habits, particularly of the Christian variety: Gay folks' attitudes about spirituality aren't much different from straight folks. These and other "surprising insights" were in Barna's spiritual profile of gays released Monday. In it was a bit of a political heeding for gay-bashers:

"People who portray gay adults as godless, hedonistic, Christian bashers are not working with the facts," wrote George Barna Monday. "A substantial majority of gays cite their faith as a central facet of their life, consider themselves to be Christian, and claim to have some type of meaningful personal commitment to Jesus Christ active in their life today."

With a whimper, not a bang: A.V. Club

With a whimper, not a bang: 15 particularly depressing cinematic swan songs from talented actors | Film | A.V. Club: "15 particularly depressing cinematic swan songs from talented actors"

The St. Louis Refugee Ship Blues (washingtonpost.com)

The St. Louis Refugee Ship Blues (washingtonpost.com): "Art Spiegelman recounts a sad story 70 years later."

Cartoonist went from political hits to Zits

The Columbus Dispatch : Cartoonist went from political hits to Zits: "Jim Borgman didn't write the news; he drew it. The Pulitzer Prize winner was editorial cartoonist for The Cincinnati Enquirer for more than 30 years before taking a buyout in September.

Now, he concentrates on teenage humor in his comic strip Zits, created with writer Jerry Scott and starring 15-year-old Jeremy, his family and friends."

Why a Real 'Year of the Bible' Would Horrify Its Sponsors -- Politics Daily

Why a Real 'Year of the Bible' Would Horrify Its Sponsors -- Politics Daily: "So a little-known congressman, Paul Broun, is making a big ruckus by introducing a resolution calling on President Obama to designate a 'National Year of the Bible' for America. Broun is a Republican (natch) from Georgia (of course) so none of this should be a surprise, right? Just another Christian fundamentalist, cynics might say, trying to turn us into a nation of Bible thumpers. The reaction has been equally predictable: Those irreligious Democrats have shunned Broun's proposal like swine flu. Jewish pols, in particular, see a distinctly Christian slant to the resolution, and secularists see yet another plot to turn the United States into a theocracy."

Where Are the Voices of Faith About Iran? -- Politics Daily

Where Are the Voices of Faith About Iran? -- Politics Daily: "Watching the TV and Internet as events spin wildly in Iran, I went searching for what I was sure would be religious institutional voices weighing in. I've mostly come up dry.
Usually such hugely public events mean that my e-box fills with official statements from the broad spectrum of institutional religion. So far I've seen nothing. So I went searching. I've done Internet news searches for 'Iran' and a bunch of other religious terms: 'Bishop' and 'Catholic' and 'Baptist' and 'pastor' and 'rabbi.'

Aside from the leaders of a few U.S. congregations that include Iranian immigrants, I'm finding nothing.

Here's an AP story about Iranian Christian churches. They're praying."

John Hodgman Calls Obama A Nerd At Radio And TV Correspondents' Dinner (VIDEO)

John Hodgman Calls Obama A Nerd At Radio And TV Correspondents' Dinner (VIDEO): "Author and comedian John Hodgman--also known as the PC Guy-- was the headliner of this year's 65th annual Radio and TV Correspondents Dinner, and he delivered a humorous speech in which he teased President Obama for being a 'nerd,' saying that he hoped Obama could finally heal the 'age-old conflict' between nerds and jocks."

Poem from the Rooftops

Via HuffPo:

A Literary Legend Fights for a Ventura County Library - NYTimes.com

A Literary Legend Fights for a Ventura County Library - NYTimes.com: "“Libraries raised me,” Mr. Bradbury said. “I don’t believe in colleges and universities. I believe in libraries because most students don’t have any money. When I graduated from high school, it was during the Depression and we had no money. I couldn’t go to college, so I went to the library three days a week for 10 years.”"

io9 - Marvel Chief Drops Thor Movie Hints

io9 - Marvel Chief Drops Thor Movie Hints - thor: "Marvel Comics chief Joe Quesada has been talking about the company's upcoming Thor movie, including what comics it'll draw from, why Kenneth Branagh is the ideal director, and the problems of making a Thor movie in the first place.

As part of his new 'Cup O' Joe' mini-site at comic site ComicBookResources.com, Quesada spilled a lot of beans about the upcoming movie based on Marvel's particular take on the Norse God of Thunder. Casually mentioning that Branagh will be drawing from the original Stan Lee/Jack Kirby run of the series as well as the critically-acclaimed Walter Simonson run from the 1980s (Two runs that focused less on generic superheroing and more on the mythological aspect of the character), Quesada talked about Branagh pitching Marvel execs on his take on the movie..."

Google Flipper Is About To Jump Out Of The Water

Google Flipper Is About To Jump Out Of The Water: "Google is about to launch a new Google Labs project it calls Flipper, we’ve learned. No, it’s not a dolphin. As you can see in the screenshot, it looks like the project is a more visual way to read Google News, or to “flip through it,” as it were."

HowStuffWorks "14 Best-Selling Books Repeatedly Rejected by Publishers"

HowStuffWorks "14 Best-Selling Books Repeatedly Rejected by Publishers": "Novelists spend years developing their craft, editing and reediting their work, agonizing over the smallest word, often to be rejected by publisher after publisher. The following famous books and authors were turned down by publishers at least 15 times before they became household names."

PBS Bans New Religious Programming, Allows Existing Shows to Continue Airing - washingtonpost.com

PBS Bans New Religious Programming, Allows Existing Shows to Continue Airing - washingtonpost.com: "The Public Broadcasting Service agreed yesterday to ban its member stations from airing new religious TV programs, but permitted the handful of stations that already carry 'sectarian' shows to continue doing so.

The vote by PBS's board was a compromise from a proposed ban on all religious programming. Such a ban would have forced a few stations around the country to give up their PBS affiliation if they continued to broadcast local church services and religious lectures."

Explore the Spirit: Interview With Day1's Peter Wallace on Psalms (with help from Germany)

Explore the Spirit: 454: Interview With Day1's Peter Wallace on Psalms (with help from Germany): "One of America's most popular inspirational voices—Peter Wallace of the Day1 radio network—talks with us about his new book on Psalms, 'Connected.'"

Thanks to David Crumm!

Christianity v. Christ: An Excerpt From A People's History of Christianity | Media/Culture | ReligionDispatches

Christianity v. Christ: An Excerpt From A People's History of Christianity | Media/Culture | ReligionDispatches: "Most people know only the Big-C Christianity — Christ, Constantine, Christendom, Calvin, and Christian America — but there is another one, linked to a biblical parable of a wounded man's rescue by a stranger."

Google's digital book future hangs in the balance | Digital Media - CNET News

Google's digital book future hangs in the balance | Digital Media - CNET News: "Google, the company best equipped and most motivated to digitize the world's books, wants to offer the world an online Library of Alexandria. The decisions of the Justice Department, authors, book publishers, a federal judge, and Google itself likely will determine whether the company actually does."

Explore the Spirit: Coming Wednesday

Explore the Spirit: "We've scheduled a special Conversation With Peter Wallace on Wednesday. Peter lives in Atlanta and is the man behind the Day1 radio network that showcases top preachers via radio stations nationwide. He's also a beloved writer of inspirational books. His newest book is 'Connected: You and God in the Psalms.'"

Watch for it!

Captain America, a.k.a. Steve Rogers is coming back to life in a comic near you

Captain America, a.k.a. Steve Rogers is coming back to life in a comic near you: "Captain America is making a miraculous recovery.

Two years after Marvel Comics knocked off its famous star-spangled superhero, he's gonna be back and better than ever.

'The original Captain America is finally coming back,' Marvel Comics editor in chief Joe Quesada told the Daily News. 'We've been patiently planning for this moment for 21/2 years.'"

Surprise, surprise, surprise!

Diana Butler Bass: A People's History of Christianity | Media/Culture | ReligionDispatches

Spiritual Memory: A People's History of Christianity | Media/Culture | ReligionDispatches: "A friend once asked Diana Butler Bass why she was still a Christian. The answer lies in the question of spiritual memory, and of a community that exists through time."

Gawker - 'Very Short List's Been Sold To Jared Kushner, We're All Fired.' - Valleywag

Gawker - 'Very Short List's Been Sold To Jared Kushner, We're All Fired.' - Valleywag: "A source writes in: ink on the long-rumored deal selling IAC property Very Short List to Jared Kushner and The New York Observer's dry. VSLers have been fired, and the property's clumsily fallen into the Observer's hands, now."

I've enjoyed VSL from the beginning. We'll see what happens, but they've already pared down the number of emails offered daily to one.

Cartoon Network's Non-Animated Push Comes With Risks - 2009-06-14 23:00:00 | Broadcasting & Cable

Cartoon Network's Non-Animated Push Comes With Risks - 2009-06-14 23:00:00 | Broadcasting & Cable: "A ghost-hunting show following a team of paranormal investigators, a reality series about outdoor novices exploring the jungle and a game show set aboard a fast-moving roller coaster. While the premises sound like something you might find on Discovery Channel, it is actually Cartoon Network that will be rolling out those shows.

And while the network is betting its new live-action slate will help redefine the channel as a destination for youth culture, executives at the Turner-owned network know they risk alienating their core audience, a big gamble in any environment."

Sigh... yet another cable channel turns its back on its niche.

Frank Rich - The Obama Haters’ Silent Enablers - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - The Obama Haters’ Silent Enablers - NYTimes.com: "What is this fury about? In his scant 145 days in office, the new president has not remotely matched the Bush record in deficit creation. Nor has he repealed the right to bear arms or exacerbated the wars he inherited. He has tried more than his predecessor ever did to reach across the aisle. But none of that seems to matter. A sizable minority of Americans is irrationally fearful of the fast-moving generational, cultural and racial turnover Obama embodies — indeed, of the 21st century itself. That minority is now getting angrier in inverse relationship to his popularity with the vast majority of the country. Change can be frightening and traumatic, especially if it’s not change you can believe in."

io9 - The 10 Best Science Fiction Score Composers - Music

io9 - The 10 Best Science Fiction Score Composers - Music: "Space is silent and vast, but we can't feel the awe and terror of epic space battles without great music. Here's our list of the ten composers without whom science fiction would feel as empty as the void. (With samples.)"

io9 - The Next James Bond Gets A Serious Scribe - Bond 23

io9 - The Next James Bond Gets A Serious Scribe - Bond 23: "MGM has just announced that screenwriter Peter Morgan, who penned The Queen, The Last King of Scotland and Frost/Nixon, is joining up with past Bond writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade for the 23rd film in this franchise."

Jim Carrey Almighty - The Daily Beast

Jim Carrey Almighty - Page 1 - The Daily Beast: "Jim Carrey and bestselling author Eckhart Tolle held their first meeting of a spiritual movement called GATE last week. Kim Masters on Carrey’s sermon."

E&P: Will the Editorial Cartoonist Vanish?

SPECIAL REPORT: Will the Editorial Cartoonist Vanish?: "To be a newspaper staff editorial cartoonist these days is to live in dread that the next phone call is coming from the human resources department. 'There's a great sense of dismay and gloom in the editorial cartooning world,' says Steve Greenberg, a member of that fraternity. Because their numbers were so small to begin with, the departure of cartoonists amid the mass layoffs in newsrooms around the nation has had a huge impact on the craft."

Paul Krugman - The Big Hate - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - The Big Hate - NYTimes.com: "Today, as in the early years of the Clinton administration but to an even greater extent, right-wing extremism is being systematically fed by the conservative media and political establishment."

The TV Watch - Stephen Colbert as a New Mr. U.S.O., Hold the Cheesecake - Review - NYTimes.com

The TV Watch - Stephen Colbert as a New Mr. U.S.O., Hold the Cheesecake - Review - NYTimes.com: "In Baghdad this past week the host of “The Colbert Report” was so imbued with the spirit of Bob Hope that he actually twirled a golf club — a Hope trademark — as he told jokes to troops in a former palace of Saddam Hussein. Stephen Colbert, the host, described Iraq as “so nice, we invaded it twice.” Even a taped sketch on Tuesday, in which Mr. Colbert debated himself on the issue of gay soldiers, wasn’t much of a departure from Hope’s old stand-up routines in places like Long Binh and Cam Ranh Bay."

Joy Behar of ‘The View’ Will Become a Host on HLN - NYTimes.com

Joy Behar of ‘The View’ Will Become a Host on HLN - NYTimes.com: "Joy Behar, a longtime co-host of “The View,” is joining HLN to present a 9 p.m. talk show.

HLN, the opinionated sister channel of CNN, hopes to raise its prime-time ratings with the addition of Ms. Behar, who is well known for her comedic and sometimes controversial sensibility. The network, a unit of Turner Broadcasting, is expected to announce the hiring on Thursday."

Explore the Spirit: BBC's Doctor Who sings a modern Psalm to our place in God's cosmos

Explore the Spirit: 450: BBC's Doctor Who sings a modern Psalm to our place in God's cosmos

Broadcasters compete to put TV on cellphones - Los Angeles Times

Broadcasters compete to put TV on cellphones - Los Angeles Times: "The digital switch will let live video be sent to mobile devices -- phones, computers, car systems -- on the newly available analog spectrum. Contenders include MobiTV, Qualcomm's Flo TV and Transpera"

David Letterman near new CBS deal

David Letterman near new CBS deal: "David Letterman is near a deal to read Top 10 lists on CBS for another three years.

The network is about to re-sign the Emmy-winning talk show personality to continue hosting 'Late Show With David Letterman' through the 2011-12 season, sources said. The agreement would mark a two-year extension of his current contract, set to expire in 2010."

Barack Obama invokes Jesus more than George W. Bush - Eamon Javers - POLITICO.com

Barack Obama invokes Jesus more than George W. Bush - Eamon Javers - POLITICO.com: "He’s done it while talking about abortion and the Middle East, even the economy. The references serve at once as an affirmation of his faith and a rebuke against a rumor that persists for some to this day.

As president, Barack Obama has mentioned Jesus Christ in a number of high-profile public speeches — something his predecessor George W. Bush rarely did in such settings, even though Bush’s Christian faith was at the core of his political identity."

Pressure Builds on Apple to Keep Its Market Lead - NYTimes.com

Pressure Builds on Apple to Keep Its Market Lead - NYTimes.com: "At its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, which begins here on Monday, Apple executives will try to sustain that magic, using what has become one of their highest-profile events of the year.

It will not be easy. While he is fond of surprises, Steven P. Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, whose personal star power has been known to amplify the company’s message, is not likely to be there. The company says it continues to expect his return from medical leave at the end of the month.

Apple must also meet sky-high and perhaps unrealistic expectations from enthusiasts and analysts, and it is just as likely to draw attention for what it does not unveil as for what it does."

Penske, Soon to Own G.M.’s Saturn, Vows to ‘Build Momentum’ - NYTimes.com

Penske, Soon to Own G.M.’s Saturn, Vows to ‘Build Momentum’ - NYTimes.com: "General Motors announced Friday that it had agreed to sell Saturn to the Penske Automotive Group, whose chairman is Mr. Penske, 72, who is one of the nation’s biggest automobile dealers.

The move rescues Saturn and its dealers from the uncertain future they have faced since February, when G.M. announced plans to shut Saturn by 2012 if no buyer could be found. G.M. subsequently said it would discontinue Saturn by the end of this year."

Part 5 of my video series on fear and the Psalms

Home - FaithStreams Communities: "While fear may pervade a group or situation, it is experienced individually, viscerally, within our own bodies. How can the communities to which we belong help us to deal with our fears? When we are afraid ourselves, how can we even begin to help others?"

Dave Eggers and The Myth of Print's Importance | Writing | SPLICETODAY.COM

Dave Eggers and The Myth of Print's Importance | Writing | SPLICETODAY.COM: "The novelist and nonprofit mogul's got heart, but he's too romantic about newspapers to make sense out of their demise."

Part 4 of my video series on fear and the Psalms

Home - FaithStreams Communities: "One Christian Scripture has been translated, 'Love casts out fear.' We all love something or someone, but we remain fearful, just the same. In fact, the more we love our families, for example, the more fearful we might become as we consider how they might be affected by an illness or a job loss. Do love and fear simply co-exist inside us, or can one really mitigate the other?"

Newsweek Turns to Tina Tricks: Meet Guest Editor … Stephen Colbert! | The New York Observer

Newsweek Turns to Tina Tricks: Meet Guest Editor … Stephen Colbert! | The New York Observer: "In the two weeks since Newsweek has redesigned, the magazine’s editors have sent out a statement that they intend to sever any and all connection to the turgid, dusty newsweekly of yore. And Jon Meacham, the magazine’s editor, is trying to recapture that age-old magazine editor’s trick for his newly conceived book: buzz.

For the next issue that hits newsstands on June 8, Comedy Central funnyman Stephen Colbert will be Newsweek’s guest editor, The Observer has learned."

Brother Biddle is back! Check out his blog

Church News - Brother Biddle: "After a quick consultation with the elders, Brother Biddle announces that his sermon series, “The Book of Nahum: We’re All Doomed,” has been commuted from 32 weeks to time previously served (one week). This coming Sunday: “Ten Ways God Sez U R Fabulous.”

Communion wine tasting party Saturday night at Deacon Filch’s. Senior high youth will be available as designated drivers. Tips will go toward their summer mission trip. (They didn’t want to sell soap this year.)

The Praise Band is seeking a new accordion player. Ernst, the current one, will be out of the country for an unspecified period. He thanks the church for its prayers and for believing he is not in fact a past war criminal."

Peter Wallace on coping with fear in the Psalms, Part 3: The Cost of Fear

Home - FaithStreams Communities: "One of the great challenges of life is learning when to act on our feelings — and when to ignore them and press on. And no matter how far one progresses spiritually, making the right judgment seems seldom obvious or easy. Perhaps it's only in retrospect that we can see why the shape of fear was so convincing in our lives at the time."

Taking a Chance on Fox's 'Human Target'

Taking a Chance on Fox's 'Human Target' : Open Mic : TVWeek - Television Industry news, TV ratings, analysis, celebrity event photos: "I really wanted to like FOX's new procedural drama Human Target, which launches on the network next year, but found myself wondering about what the series could have been rather than what it actually is.

Based on a DC comic by Len Wein and Carmen Infantino (and later redeveloped into a Vertigo title by Peter Milligan), Human Target tells the story of Christopher Chance (Fringe's Mark Valley), a man who protects those in danger by becoming a literal human shield, a moving target capable of drawing the fire of those out to imperil his well-paying clients."

Conservative-Preacher-Turned-Progressive-Leader Carlton Pearson Finds a New Home, Ministry in Chicago

Conservative-Preacher-Turned-Progressive-Leader Carlton Pearson Finds a New Home, Ministry in Chicago | RD Blog: The Devil's Advocate | ReligionDispatches: "Carlton Pearson was a televangelist superstar, until he began preaching the gospel of inclusion and was ousted. But now this conservative Pentecostal preacher turned progressive religious radical has a new congregation."

My video series on fear and the Psalms continues--part 2

Home - FaithStreams Communities: "Perhaps the times we feel most 'safe' is when we are where we 'belong' -- in our homes, with our families, in our own country. When life calls us to places of 'not belonging' -- such as unemployment or dislocation -- we find ourselves feeling uneasy. Is it possible to enlarge our idea of belonging? Continuing his series on the Psalms and fear, Peter Wallace describes his own 'safe place.' Where is your safe place?"

Home - FaithStreams Communities: "Perhaps the times we feel most 'safe' is when we are where we 'belong' -- in our homes, with our families, in our own country. When life calls us to places of 'not belonging' -- such as unemployment or dislocation -- we find ourselves feeling uneasy. Is it possible to enlarge our idea of belonging? Continuing his series on the Psalms and fear, Peter Wallace describes his own 'safe place.' Where is your safe place?"

Poised to Sell E-Books, Google Takes On Amazon - NYTimes.com

Poised to Sell E-Books, Google Takes On Amazon - NYTimes.com: "Google appears to be throwing down the gauntlet in the e-book market.

In discussions with publishers at the annual BookExpo convention in New York over the weekend, Google signaled its intent to introduce a program by that would enable publishers to sell digital versions of their newest books direct to consumers through Google. The move would pit Google against Amazon.com, which is seeking to control the e-book market with the versions it sells for its Kindle reading device."

Speaking to the Soul: Excerpt from Connected at Episcopal Cafe

Speaking to the Soul: Excerpt from Connected: You and God in the Psalms, on EpiscopalCafe.com:

"Be sure, the psalmist tells us in Psalm 98, God is coming. Somehow, someway, God is coming to judge the earth, and that includes each one of us. And God comes again and again, in a variety of ways and times, to guide us and refine us.

And it’s important to keep in mind that it’s God who is to do the judging, not us. Thankfully, God will judge with righteousness and fairness.

The psalmist depicts all this as a joyful, positive thing. The whole world, the seas and hills, the world and all who live in it, will be exultant about God’s judgment. Because it’s right and true.

Scholars and teachers will argue until the end of time about the intricacies of God’s coming. But let’s keep focused on what we’re supposed to be doing in the meantime. Living as authentic and righteous a life as we can, following the ways of God as best we can, treating others fairly and lovingly rather than judging them. And praising the God who is our presence, our power, our righteousness all the days of our lives."

My series on Fear and the Psalms begins - FaithStreams Communities

Home - FaithStreams Communities: "Fear Fatigue:
The theme for this week is 'Naming It.' Naming what? Our fear. We may want to sidestep the word — calling it discomfort or uncertainty — but many of us will admit to feeling a certain amount of fear when we consider the world around us today. What are the spiritual resources — the beliefs, activities and actions — we can use to cope? All this week, Peter Wallace, author of Connected: You and God in the Psalms, considers how themes in these essential Jewish and Christian spiritual poems remain helpful and relevant."